The surname Kendall of England is of local derivation from the town of Kendall, Westmoreland county. The town’s name was doubtless derived from that of the river Ken, on which it is located. The family in England is very large and widely distributed, many of the branches bearing arms and having distinguished members. The name is found common in Bedfordshire, at Basingbourne, Essex; in Lancashire; at Smithsby, Derbyshire; in Cornwall; in Devonshire; and Hertfordshire. In 1575, a branch of the family settled in Thorpthules, Durham, a younger son of the Kendall family of Ripon, Yorkshire, where the family lived at an early date. Among the early Kendalls who were prominent was John Kendall, a sheriff of Nottingham, killed in the battle of Bosworth in 1485, fighting in the army of Richard III.

John Kendall, progenitor of the American family, lived in the county of Cambridge, England, in 1646, died there in 1660. Two of his sons came to America; Francis, mentioned below. 2. Deacon Thomas, who was a proprietor of Reading, Massachusetts, in 1644; was admitted freeman May 10, 1648; had ten daughters and no sons, thus leaving no descendants bearing his nam

Children

2. John Kendall

John’s Elizabeth Holly was born 1623 in Cambridge, England.

3. Francis Kendall

Francis’ wife Mary Tidd was born 23 Nov 1620 in England. Her parents were John Tidd and Margaret Greenleaf. Mary died 1705 in Woburn, Mass.

In December, 1658, Francis deposed that his age was about thirty-eight years. On April 2, 1662, he deposed that his age was about forty-eight years. Possibly the date of his birth was between the two dates indicated by these statements, say 1618.

He came from England before 1640. With thirty-one others he signed the town orders of Woburn, December 18, 1640. He had been living in Charlestown, of which Woburn was then a part, and where he was a taxpayer in 1645.

He used the alias, “Miles Kendall”. It has been said that he came with his brother, Thomas, and used the alias so his parents would not know he intended to emigrate. [In 1615 there was a Miles Kendall who was Governor of Bermuda. He and Francis were related and this may be why the name Miles suggested itself to Francis].

In 1640, Francis was living at Charlestown MA. He signed the town orders for the new town of Woburn and was one of its first inhabitants. He was described as “a gentleman of great respectability and influence”. However, in this strict Puritan environment, he was prosecuted along with 12 other Woburn citizens for differing from the Faith. He was charged with withdrawing from the worship of the Woburn Church and attending the services of the Anabaptists.

In the record of Francis’ Dec 24, 1644 marriage to Mary Tidd he is called Francis Kendall, alias Miles. There are several explanations of this record. It was common with emigrants to America to take assumed names to avoid vexatious laws, and there is a tradition that Kendall left England against the wishes of his family, using the name of Miles until he was settled in this country. His brother, Thomas seems not to have used any other name.

Francis Kendall was admitted a freeman, May 10, 1648. Sewall says of him: “He was a gentleman of great respectability and influence in the place of his residence.” He served the town at different times for eighteen years as selectman, and on important committees such as those for distributing grants to the pioneers, and on building the meeting house. He was tything man in 1676.

He was a miller by trade and owned a corn mill, which he left to his sons, Samuel and John. This corn mill, at Woburn, has been in the possession of the family down to the present time. The mill now, or lately on the Kendall place, is one built by Samuel Kendall soon after 1700 and is some distance from the location of the first mill.

Francis was a selectman of Woburn for 18 years at different time. He was fined sixpence for “being nere an hour to [too] late” at a selectmen’s meeting in 1674. In 1676 was chosen on committee to see that neighbors kept good order in their houses. In 1676, he was paid 10 shillings for shooting a wolf.

He died in September 1708 at Woburn at about age 88. His will dated May 9, 1706. His sons, Thomas and John were the executors. In his will he left ½ of his corn mill to his son, John and 1/4 shares each to his other two sons, John and Samuel. Francis Kendall remembers likewise in his Will the eight children of of his brother Thomas, one of the first settlers of Reading, (and a deacon of the church there) who were living, when he, his said brother died. An interesting account in a book by Ruth Lincoln Kaye, says that a characteristic of the Francis Kendall family is that a child is occasionally born with extra fingers or toes and that this trait has survived to the present generations

The Will of Francis Kendall Woburn, Massachusetts, May 9, 1706:

” In the name and fear of God, amen, I Frances Kendell in the town of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex in her Majesty’s Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, miller, being by the grace of God, of sound understanding and perfect memory, yet, stricken in years and expect daily my change, do therefore, make ordain and declare, this writing to be my last Will and Testament, the which let no man presume to alter or change.
First and principle, I give my soul to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three glorious persons, but one in infinite and eternal essence, hoping for salvation, by the merits of Jesus Christ alone.
Also I give my body to the earth, to be buried decently at the discretion of my executors and overseers, hereafter named, in hopes of a glorious resurrection, and as for portion of temporal goods and estate God in his bounty hath bestowed upon me, I give and bequeath in form and manner following:

1. To my eldest John Kendal I give my now dwelling house,my barn and barnyard; the orchard adjoining the barn; and the field, with the lowland, meadow land and orcharding, adjoin-ing my dwelling. Namely, all my land and meadow included in said field, to the bound of the land and meadow adjoining thereunto, which I have loaned my sons Thomas and Samuel Kendall and my daughter Mary Read, with all which bounds I have formerly stated, and further I give unto my son John Kendall one-half of my corn mill, together with the right of the streams, dams and utensils thereunto belonging; one-half of my woodland adjoining the woodland of Samuel Walker near Rock Meadow; one-quarter part of my herbage; half my right in the partnership in the mineral, called the Copper Mine, in Woburn; half my right of woodland at Ragg Rock; and half my wood lot at Rock Pond Meadow. All and singular the before-mentioned parts and parcels to be and remain unto my son John Kendall, his heirs and assigns forever, only excepting the liberty of a cart way through part thereof for the benefit of some of my children, as shall later be expressed.

2. To my son Thomas Kendall I give the land his house stands on, namely the land of mine lying on the west side of my mill pond and mill stream; all my land and meadow land from a stake near the place where the two brooks meet, and from thence by a line of marked trees to the land of James Peirce, bounded westerly by the land of Samuel Blodgett.Further it is my will that my son Thomas Kendall shall have free liberty for himself and his heirs to cart their hay from a piece of meadow which he formerly purchased of William Hamblet through the usual cart way in the land. I have in this my will given to my son John Kendal further I do hereby give to my second son Thomas Kendal one quarter part of my corn mill and proportional interest in the dams,streams and utensils thereunto belonging. I also give to my son Thomas Kendall one half of my wood lot near Rock Meadow adjoining the land of Samuel Walker, and also half my wood lot Rock Pond Meadow; half my interest in the mineral called the Copper Mine in Woburn; and also one quarter part of my right of herbage.

3. To my son Samuel Kendall, I give the dwelling house which he now lives in, and the barn, land, and meadow belong-ing to it, which is bounded by the land of Thomas Carter on the east, and to the north by the road leading to the mill, and partly by woodland formerly belonging to Jonathan Tompson and Joseph Wright, Sr., and on the west by the fence that part this from what I have given to my son John Kendall. I further give my son Samuell Kendall one acre of meadow in Horn Pond Meadow adjoining the meadow of my son Thomas Kendall,with free use and improvement of the usual cart way to the same through the land I have given in this will to my son John Kendall, which my second son Sam Kendell, his heirs and assigns shall improve from time to time for carting of his and their hay, forever. I further give my son Samuell Kendall one quarter part of my corn mill, and a proportional interest in the streams, dams,and utensils thereunto belonging, and further I do hereby give my son Samuel Kendall half of my wood lot at Ragg Rock, and one quarter part of my herbage.

4. To my son Jacob Kendall I give the thirty acres of land his house stands on with the woodland of mine it adjoins; all my woodland on the west side of the Great Meadow; a piece of woodland adjoining the meadow of John Knight; five cow commons; and my right of swamp at Clear Meadow Brook,excepting what I shall in this will give to my grandson Frances Green. I further give my son Jacob Kendall four acres of land adjoining the east end of his homestead.

5. To my daughter Mary Read I give that tract of land that her house stands on, which I let her use upon her marriage,which I estimate to be nine acres and is bounded on the north and northeast by the road leading to the mill; eastwardly by the woodland of Jonathan Tompson; and on the south by the land that I have in this will given to my son John Kendall.I further give to my daughter Mary Read two acres of land at Ragg Rock bounded northeasterly by the land of Jonathan Tompson; on the south by the land of Deacon Joseph Wright; and otherwise bounded by the woodland of my son-in-law Israell Read.I further give to my daughter Mary Read my right and title in the tract of land near John Bruce called Israell Read’s Newfield, bounded on the south by Concord Road, and on the north by the land of John Bruce.I also give my daughter Mary Read twenty acres of my great lot at Settle Meadow, and also a small piece of meadow in Horn Pond Meadow, adjoining the meadow I formerly sold to my son-in-law Israell Read, which runs from the corner of that meadow fence to the head of a spring which arises in the meadow, and along that spring to the place where the spring runs into the brook, and is bounded elsewhere by the meadow of my son-in-law Israell Read.I further give my daughter Mary Read all that tract of land her husband has fenced in by itself on the south side of the highway leading to Timothy Walker’s. Further it is my will that my daughter Mary Read and her heirs all have free liberty, at all times forever hereafter, to cart their hay from the meadow at Horne Pond through the land I have given my son John Kendall.

6. To my daughter Elizabeth Peirce, besides what I gave her when she married, and at other times, I further give her five shillings as a token of my love. In the case she shall have a child born of her own body, I hereby give to it [the child] ten pounds, to paid by my execu-tors, when it reaches the age of twenty-one years.

7. To my daughter Hannah Green, I give that piece of land and woodland of mine, bounded on the north by the land of William Bruce, and on the east-north-east by the highway near Samuel Snow, estimated to be eight acres; a woodlot at Ragg
Rock, near John Russill’s, adjoining the highway; a piece of land at Long Meadow Brook, on the west side of the meadow belonging to Captain Edward Johnson, which is about six acres; and a seven acre lot at Settle Meadow, which I received from my son-in-law William Green by way of exchange.These several parcels of land and woodland I hereby give my daughter Hannah Green, her heirs and assigns forever, and further give to my daughter Hannah Green ten pounds, to be paid to her by my son Samuel Kendall, two years after my decease.

8. To the children of my daughter Rebecca Eaton, deceased, I give a tract of land at Settle Meadow, purchased from Daniell Baken, and was his great lot, which contains an estimated forty-nine acres, unless my executors see cause to pay the chil-dren of my daughter Rebecca Eaton twenty pounds instead.

9. To my daughter Abigail Read, I give forty-seven acres of my great lot at Settle Meadow, which is my whole great lot except twenty acres I have given in this will to my daughter Mary Read.

10. I give to my three daughters, namely Mary Read, Hannah Green, and Eunice, the wife of John Kendall, all my household items, to be equally divided amongst them, in return for the great care, pains, and nursing they provided their mother, my late wife, during her last sickness.My daughter Mary Read shall have the liberty to redeem my feather bed, and enjoy the same, paying to her sisters more than her proportion of its value.

11. To my grandson Frances Kendall, the eldest son of my son John Kendall, I give that piece of meadow adjoining my cornmill and bounded on the south-east by the path leading to the mill, and bounded on the east partly by the orchard adjoining the barn which I gave my son John Kendall. I also give my grandson Frances Kendall a tract of land,which is fenced by itself, adjoining the previously mentioned meadow, bounded on the north-west by Timothy Walker’s land; on the south partly by the barn and barn yard, and the highway leading to the mill; and further bounded by the land I previously gave my daughter Mary Read.

12. To my grandson Ralph Kendall, the son of my son Thomas Kendall, I give my plow lot in Hodges Hole, and half the plow lot formerly belonging to Micheale Lippingwell.

13. To my granddaughter Mary Peirce, I give that lot I pur-chased from Daniel Baken near Dirty Swamp.

14. To my grandson Frances Green I give that land I pur-chased from John Mousell, Israell Walker, and Ephraim Buck in Wood Hill, and the right of five acres of Swamp Bottom.

15. To my grandson Samuell Kendall, the son of my son Sam Kendall, I give two small cedar lots in Lather Pole Swamp, the one of which was mine, the other which I purchased from Daniel Baken.

16. To my grandson Jacob Kendall, the son of my son Jacob Kendall, I give one piece of upland adjoining the swamp I have given to my son Jacob Kendall at Clear Meadow Brook.

17. To my granddaughter, Elizabeth Lampson, the daughter of my daughter Rebecca Eaton, I give my two cedar lots in the old Cedar Swamp, one of which was my own, the other which I purchased from Daniel Baken.

18. To my grandson William Read, I give one-half of my rightin a piece of land or woodland remaining undivided amongst the proprietors of the Seventh Division on Rock Meadow Plain.

19. To the eight children of my brother Thomas Kendall, who were living when my brother died, I give twenty shillings apiece to be paid by my executors. In case any of the eight children die, the eldest child of the deceased shall enjoy the mother’s gift. I do this in rememberance of the kindness I had for my loving brother.

20. It is my will to give my corn mill to my three sons, John Kendall, Thomas Kendall, and Samuel Kendall. Shall any of them refuse to repair, rebuild, or constantly maintain in good repair their respective part of the mills, dams, or utensils when reasonably required, then his or their part shall become that of those who undertake the rebuilding or repair. It is also my will that if any of my children, to whom in this will I have given a parcel or parcels of land in partnership,fail to agree to its division, then the division shall be made by the overseers of this will, whose decision shall stand. In the eighteenth article of this will I have given to my grand-son, William Read one half of my right in a piece of land or a woodland remaining undivided amongst the proprietors of the Seventh Division on Rock Meadow Plain. Upon further consideration, I give whole right title and interest in this piece of undivided land to my grandson, William Read.

Finally, I ordain my two loving sons, John Kendall and Thomas Kendall, executors of this , my last Will and Testament.

It is also my desire that my trusty and well-beloved friends, Major Jeremiah Swayn of Reading and James Fowle of Woburn, be the overseers of this will. In consideration of their care and trouble, I hereby appoint my executors to pay them thirty shillings apiece.

And thus having finished, by God’s help, this will as it is expressed and inserted on this and the other side of this sheet of paper, I exhort and command all my children and grandchildren to live in the fear of God, and in love and peace, and pray God, who is the God of love and peace, be with you all, amen.

I hereby revoke and disallow all other former wills and testaments before this time, ratifying and confirming this writing to be my last Will and Testament.

I, Frances Kendall, have set my hand and affixed my seal, this ninth day of May the fifth year of the reign of our Lady Anne, sovereign queen of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Anno domini Seventeen Hundred and Six.

Signed, sealed and published to be the last Will and Testament of Frances Kendall, Sr.

In the presence of us
John Brooks
Daniel Baldwin
Edward Winn
Proved at Cambridge, 31 May 1708
[ Middlesex Probate 13053]

Deacon Thomas Kendall, of Reading, and his wife Rebecca had ten daughters. Their sons died early. The daughters inorder to preseve the name Kendall decided that they would each name their first son Kendall. And so came to be Kendall Pierson, Kendall Boutwell, Kendall Eaton, Kendall Briant, and so forth. This in turn inspired Lillie Eaton, Esq., of South Reading to pen the following:

“She has ten daughters; and each one,
When married, christened her first son
Kendall; and thus we may infer
Why ’tis these names so oft occur.”

In determinning whether Dea. Thomas was in Lynn or Reading it is imperative to understand the emergence of Reading as a town in its own right. What eventually became Reading, Massachusetts was originally a part of the township of Lynn, Massachusetts.

1639: Under a grant of land from the General Court to the town of Lynn, a settlement called Linn Village was made as a part of the town of Lynn.

1644: “Redding” was set off from Lynn.

1647: “Reading” appeared as a town in its own right.

In truth, Deacon Thomas Kendall always resided in the same place. The name of the place where he resided changed from Lynn to Linn Village to Reading and for a period of time the names seem to have been used almost interchangeably. This caused confusion as the dates on records from the different reports had him appear to have been moving from one township to another in time periods when such moves did not seem to be either feasible or to make sense. Understanding that the towns’ names changed NOT the Deacon’s residence makes the records easier to understand.

UPON Ye DEATH OF THOMAS KENDEL HERE IN Ye EARTH IS LAYD ON OF Ye 7 OF THIS CHURCH FOUNDATION SO TO REMAIEN TELY.T POWRFUL VOICE SAY RIS IN HERE A GLORIS HABITATION A PATARN OF PIATI & LOVE & FOR PEACE BUT NOW ALAS HOW SHORT HIS RACE HERE WE MOURN & MOURN WE MOUST TO SE ZION STONS LIK GOLD NOW LAYD IN DUST

Elizabeth’s husband Morris Somes was born 1614 in Cambridge, England. His parents were Thomas Somes and Agnes [__?__]. He first married in 1641 to Marjorie Johnson (b. 1610 in Bedfordshire, England
– d. 22 Jan 1647 in Gloucester, Essex, Mass.) Morris died 13 Jan 1689 in Gloucester, Essex, Mass.

Morris and Elizabeth;s daughter Abigial Somes was arrested and indicted and sent to Boston Jail in 1692. She surrvied and in 1693 was freed when the new Governor Phips, put an end to the hangings and arrests.

(Examination of Abigail Somes, May 13, 1692, at Salem)

Upon the glance of her Eye she struck Mary Warren into a [unclear: ] fit at her first appearance, and s’d Warren continually Crying out [unclear: ] it was this very Woman tho She knew her not before, only [unclear: ] that She herself in apparition and told her that her name was [unclear: ] and also that this was the very woman that had afflicted her all this Day, and that. she met her as she was comeing in att the gate, and bit her exceedingly att her first Examining there was found in her Apron a great Crotching Needle about the midle of it near her Belly, which was plucked out by one of the Standers by. by ord’r of the Magistrates, which the s’d Soams affirmed. She knew not how it came there; Mary Warren affirmed that she never saw the s’d woman before only in apparition, and then she told her that her Name was Abigail Soames and that she was sister to John Soams of Preston Cooper and that she lived att Gaskins, and that she had lain Bedrid a year. Being asked whether she was Sister to John Soams she answered peremptorily she would not tell for all was false that Warren said furthermore Warren affirmed that she told her that she was she s’d Soams was the Instrumental means of the Death of Southwick: Upon which s’d Soams casting her Eye on Warren [pincht] her into a dreadful fitt, and bitt her so dreadfully that the Like was never seen on any of the aflicted, which the s’d Warren Charged the s’d Soams with doeing off, saying that the s’d Soams told her this day she would be the death of her further Warren Affirms that she the s’d Soams ran two pinns into her side this day, which being plucked out the blood ran out after them. Goody Gaskin being present att this examination affirmed she had kept her Bed for most part these thirteen months. Warren further affirms she told her that when She did goe abroad att any time it was in the Night which Goody Gaskin being present Confirmed the same that that was the usual time off her goeing abroad — further more Warren affirmed that this Abigail Soams would have had her to have made a bargain with her, telling her if she would not tel of her being a sickly woman, she would not afflict her any more, and that then She should goe along with her, for this s’d Soams told her she was her God, Upon w’ch Warren answered she would not keep the Devils Councel. Soams told her she was not a Devil but she was her God. Q. Mary Warren is this true: A. It is nothing but the truth. Soams being asked who hurt Warren in the time of her fitt she answered it was the Enemy hurt her. I have been said she myself Distracted many atime, and my [senses] have gone from me, and I thought I have seen many a Body hurt mee, and might have accused many as well as she doth. I Really thought I had seen many persons att my Mothers Campe at Glowster, and they greatly aflicted me as I thought. Soams being Commanded while Warren was in a dreadful fit, to take Warren by the hand, the said Warren immediately recovered;

This Experiment was tryed three times over and the Issue the same. Warren after a Recovery being commanded to touch the s’d Soams altho she Assayed severall times to do it with great Earnestness she was not able, But fell down into a dreadful fit. Upon which the s’d Soams being Commanded take Warren by the hand, she immediately recovered her again. Warren affirming she felt something soft in her hand (her Eyes then being first shut) which revived her very heart. Warren being asked what the Reason was she could not Come to touch Soams affirmed she saw the apparition of Somes come from her Body, and would meet her, and thrust her with Vialunce back again, not suffring her to Come near her — Sometimes Soams, would say it was Distraction in talking she would often Laugh, upon which Laughing the aflicted person would presently fal into a fitt. Soams being asked whether she thought this was Witchcraft or whether there were any Witches in the world, answered she did not know anything but said itt was the Enemy or some other Wicked person or the Enemy himself that forces persons to afflict her att this time, presently this Warren fell into a trance comeing out of which she affirmed that Soams told her in the Prime of her trance that she would thrust an Awl into her very heart and would kil her this night. Soams could never cast her Eye upon Warren, but immediately she struck her down, and one time she affirmed s’d Soams struck her such a Blow as almost killed, which made the s’d Warren break out into abundance of tears. Soams being Charged with it, instead of bewailing itt Broke forth into Laughter. Warren being also afflicted by the [wringing] of her mouth after a strange and prodigious manner, Soams being Commanded to look upon her in that fit, premptorily answered she would not. Soams being by him ordered to turn her face about to look on the afflicted, which being accordingly done she shut her Eyes Close, and would not look on her being then ordered to touch her She did and immediately Warren Recovered, which no sooner done but Soams opened her Eyes and looked on the afflicted; and struck her into another most dreadful and horible fit, and in this manner she practised her Witchcrafts several times before the Court. Mary Warren Looking on her affirmed this to be the very woman that had so often afflicted her dureing the Examination and Charged her with it to her face. sometimes dureing the Examination Soams would put her oun foot behind her other leg, and immediately Warrens Legs would be Crossed and that it was impossible for the strongest man there to [uncrosst] them, without Breaking her Leggs, as was seen by many present After this Examination Warren says the apparition of Proctor, Nurse and Burroughs, that appeared before her, and Burroughs bitt her which bite was seen by many. Also Burroughs att the same time appeared to Margaret Jacobs who was then present, and told her as Jacobs affirmed, that her Grandfather would be hanged Upon which the s’d Jacobs wept. it was also observed by the Rev’d Mr Noyse, that after the needle was taken away from Soams, that Warren was neither bit. not pinched by the s’d Soams, but [pincht] so dreadfully on her throght that she cryed out she was almost killed.

(Examination of Abigail Somes, May 13, 1692, at Salem)

Upon the glance of her Eye she struck Mary Warren into a [unclear: ] fit at her first appearance, and s’d Warren continually Crying out [unclear: ] it was this very Woman tho She knew her not before, only [unclear: ] that She herself in apparition and told her that her name was [unclear: ]

–734–

and also that this was the very woman that had afflicted her all this Day, and that. she met her as she was comeing in att the gate, and bit her exceedingly att her first Examining there was found in her Apron a great Crotching Needle about the midle of it near her Belly, which was plucked out by one of the Standers by. by ord’r of the Magistrates, which the s’d Soams affirmed. She knew not how it came there; Mary Warren affirmed that she never saw the s’d woman before only in apparition, and then she told her that her Name was Abigail Soames and that she was sister to John Soams of Preston Cooper and that she lived att Gaskins, and that she had lain Bedrid a year. Being asked whether she was Sister to John Soams she answered peremptorily she would not tell for all was false that Warren said furthermore Warren affirmed that she told her that she was she s’d Soams was the Instrumental means of the Death of Southwick: Upon which s’d Soams casting her Eye on Warren [pincht] her into a dreadful fitt, and bitt her so dreadfully that the Like was never seen on any of the aflicted, which the s’d Warren Charged the s’d Soams with doeing off, saying that the s’d Soams told her this day she would be the death of her further Warren Affirms that she the s’d Soams ran two pinns into her side this day, which being plucked out the blood ran out after them. Goody Gaskin being present att this examination affirmed she had kept her Bed for most part these thirteen months. Warren further affirms she told her that when She did goe abroad att any time it was in the Night which Goody Gaskin being present Confirmed the same that that was the usual time off her goeing abroad — further more Warren affirmed that this Abigail Soams would have had her to have made a bargain with her, telling her if she would not tel of her being a sickly woman, she would not afflict her any more, and that then She should goe along with her, for this s’d Soams told her she was her God, Upon w’ch Warren answered she would not keep the Devils Councel. Soams told her she was not a Devil but she was her God. Q. Mary Warren is this true: A. It is nothing but the truth. Soams being asked who hurt Warren in the time of her fitt she answered it was the Enemy hurt her. I have been said she myself Distracted many atime, and my [senses] have gone from me, and I thought I have seen many a Body hurt mee, and might have accused many as well as she doth. I Really thought I had seen many persons att my Mothers Campe at Glowster, and they greatly aflicted me as I thought. Soams being Commanded while Warren was in a dreadful fit, to take Warren by the hand, the said Warren immediately recovered;

–735–

This Experiment was tryed three times over and the Issue the same. Warren after a Recovery being commanded to touch the s’d Soams altho she Assayed severall times to do it with great Earnestness she was not able, But fell down into a dreadful fit. Upon which the s’d Soams being Commanded take Warren by the hand, she immediately recovered her again. Warren affirming she felt something soft in her hand (her Eyes then being first shut) which revived her very heart. Warren being asked what the Reason was she could not Come to touch Soams affirmed she saw the apparition of Somes come from her Body, and would meet her, and thrust her with Vialunce back again, not suffring her to Come near her — Sometimes Soams, would say it was Distraction in talking she would often Laugh, upon which Laughing the aflicted person would presently fal into a fitt. Soams being asked whether she thought this was Witchcraft or whether there were any Witches in the world, answered she did not know anything but said itt was the Enemy or some other Wicked person or the Enemy himself that forces persons to afflict her att this time, presently this Warren fell into a trance comeing out of which she affirmed that Soams told her in the Prime of her trance that she would thrust an Awl into her very heart and would kil her this night. Soams could never cast her Eye upon Warren, but immediately she struck her down, and one time she affirmed s’d Soams struck her such a Blow as almost killed, which made the s’d Warren break out into abundance of tears. Soams being Charged with it, instead of bewailing itt Broke forth into Laughter. Warren being also afflicted by the [wringing] of her mouth after a strange and prodigious manner, Soams being Commanded to look upon her in that fit, premptorily answered she would not. Soams being by him ordered to turn her face about to look on the afflicted, which being accordingly done she shut her Eyes Close, and would not look on her being then ordered to touch her She did and immediately Warren Recovered, which no sooner done but Soams opened her Eyes and looked on the afflicted; and struck her into another most dreadful and horible fit, and in this manner she practised her Witchcrafts several times before the Court. Mary Warren Looking on her affirmed this to be the very woman that had so often afflicted her dureing the Examination and Charged her with it to her face. sometimes dureing the Examination Soams would put her oun foot behind her other leg, and immediately Warrens Legs would be Crossed and that it was impossible for the strongest man there to [uncrosst] them, without Breaking her Leggs,

–736–

as was seen by many present After this Examination Warren says the apparition of Proctor, Nurse and Burroughs, that appeared before her, and Burroughs bitt her which bite was seen by many. Also Burroughs att the same time appeared to Margaret Jacobs who was then present, and told her as Jacobs affirmed, that her Grandfather would be hanged Upon which the s’d Jacobs wept. it was also observed by the Rev’d Mr Noyse, that after the needle was taken away from Soams, that Warren was neither bit. not pinched by the s’d Soams, but [pincht] so dreadfully on her throght that she cryed out she was almost killed.

3 Responses to John Kendall

I cannot find that my relative, John Kendall, was the Sheriff of Nottingham. I see that Richard Radcliffe was during the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, and my relative John Kendall supposedly fought with him, but I see no mention of John Kendall being the sheriff of Nottingham. Do you have any records of this? I also have a paper from my relative, Ralph Kendall, from his research of 1939, showing I am related to Miles Kendall, who was an interim Governor of Bermuda in the 1600’s but do not see records of that, only a mention here or there or that he was related to a Mr. Sandys who was influential in British Parliament at the time. Thanks. You can email me at scunningham@tigerinfo.com or scottrosscunningham@yahoo.com or call me on my cell at 917-658-9745. I also tried to reach the Richard III Society in the US and UK to ask if any relative of Knights who fought with Richard III would be getting together in England whenever a memorial for Richard III is given, now that his body was recently found. Thanks.